4. Marner registers multi-point game to vault to the top of Leafs' point-producers' list. Rookie winger Mitch Marner has more than met expectations this year, and the 19-year-old once again made an impact on the scoreboard Tuesday, logging an assist (his 29th of the season) on Bozak's goal, then netting his 12th goal of the year at 10:25 of the second to cut the Stars' lead to 6-3 heading into the final regulation frame.
Marner's two-point performance gave him 41 points this season, pushing him past teammates Auston Matthews and James van Riemsdyk to move into sole possession of top spot among Toronto's point-producers. Marner's all-around game is important to Babcock and Leafs management, but his skills creating and finishing with the puck are what have turned heads for most Buds fans. He shows no sign of slowing down, and that should excite Toronto fans and unnerve Leafs opponents.
5. Toronto's advantage over Stars in shot department extends through third, but Dallas holds firm to claim victory. The large discrepancy in shots between the two teams was more pronounced than ever in the third period, as the Leafs outshot Dallas 12-0 through the first 17:30 of the frame. And though Toronto thought it had its fourth goal of the night when Soshnikov pushed the puck in for what would've been his second of the game, the officials ruled he kicked it in and disallowed the marker.
Ultimately, the Stars managed just one shot on net in the third, while the Leafs fired 13 more on Lehtonen to finish with 43 shots. But Dallas' initial scoring burst of three goals in their first eight shots of the game proved to be the difference, and now the Leafs will focus on ending a two-game losing skid in St. Louis Thursday night.